


Unlikely Friends — And Maybe Something More?

by A_Phoenix_Inferno_K20



Category: Hermitcraft RPF
Genre: BFFs, F/M, Hermitcraft - Freeform, Modern, friends become Lovers, stresskall
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-10
Updated: 2020-08-10
Packaged: 2021-03-06 03:20:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,007
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25826551
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/A_Phoenix_Inferno_K20/pseuds/A_Phoenix_Inferno_K20
Summary: This is my interpretation of how Stress and Iskall meet IRL. Modern AU. I ship their Minecraft personas, not them IRL. Cross Posted on Wattpad.
Relationships: False/Doc (minor), Iskall85/StressMonster101
Comments: 2
Kudos: 13





	1. An Unexpected Encounter

**Author's Note:**

> Cross-posted on Wattpad

_Iskall’s backstory..._

I’ve been hired. _‘What for?’_ you might ask. In all honesty, it’s really quite simple.

I’m a hitman – been one since I was 16 – so I was hired to ... go after ... an innocent person.

Listen. I know that it’s cruel to be in my line of work, but I have to make a living, right? Need to pay the bills.

In the city of Hermitville, I’ve learned how to survive in situations that may seem ... incredibly dangerous. I’ve survived being shot more times than I can remember and I even got a couple scars on my body from a guy with a knife, who I did manage to beat despite being injured.

I may seem cold and ruthless at first glance, but, honestly, I’m very kind and caring underneath my hard shell. I have to show no emotions during my jobs or it could mean that I’ll have no source of income.

But I have a secret to share. I’ve grown to despise my job — about as much as I hate the bird poop block people use for building, so much so that I’m really close to resigning and leaving Hermitville.

Yeah, you heard right. Big, tough Iskall — the famous “Diorite Burner” — doesn’t like his job anymore.

Well, I have my reasons. It’s mostly because I’m tired of the risk that my job entails. I’ve gotten to the point where I’m scared something will happen to me and I won’t be able to pull myself out.

~~——++•++——~~

_Iskall’s POV..._

I head out of the Undercover Operatives section of the Hunter’s Guild and into the armory to grab any gear I might need. I’ve just finished talking to my boss about my resignation that’s to be effective once I return.

_‘This is my last job. Forever,’_ I think as I put my sword, bow and arrows, and my sleeping bag into a large pack. I grab a smaller pack and stuff essential food for my last mission. I walk through the entrance and turn around, taking one last look at the place that had been my home for many years. I turn away, take a deep breath, and resume walking. I toss my bags onto my trusty motorcycle, strapping them down, and ride towards the distant town my target resides in.

I sigh after riding for a while and pull over to a rest stop to stretch my legs. I realize that it’s already almost night and I decide to stop off at the next town several miles away to get some rest.

I make it to the town of Sweetberry and pay for a hotel room for the night.

The next morning, I’m already on the road an hour before sunrise and I make it to the town of Falsewell by noon. A quick stop for a bite to eat and I’m off again, arriving at my destination by nightfall. The bustling city of Hermitland.

_‘The sooner I finish this job, the sooner I can get back and leave_ my nightmare of a job behind forever,’ I think, parking my bike in front of the Sahara hotel and walking inside.

A short man with dirty-blonde hair, probably a year or two younger than I am, greets me from the front desk with a big smile.

“Welcome to the Sahara Hotel, sir,” the blonde says, a lilt present in his voice.

_‘Probably some damn, stupid Brit,’_ I think, my blue robotic eye glowing slightly brighter.

“Do you need a room, sir?” the Brit asks, focused on his desktop computer now.

“Yeah,” I reply. 

“Anyone else with you?”

I shake my head. “No."

The Brit speedily begins typing away on his keyboard, but stops to look at me. “May I just get your name, please?”

I nod. “Iskall Eightyfive.”

The Brit types my full name in and lets out an “Aha!”

I cringe inside as he remains quiet and turns to me once again. “It seems here that you stayed in another Sahara Hotel in Sweetberry.”

“That’s ... right,” I reply, hesitant.

The Brit seems to notice my uncertainty and brushes it off. "No worries,” he replies smoothly, handing me a key card. “All your info is already in the database, so that makes my job a lot easier.”

“I’m ... Thanks.” My awkwardness gets the best of me and I grab the key card, anxiety not letting me talk.

“Your room is on the second floor, number 130.”

I nod, still unable to speak, and turn around to go to my room.

“It’s Iskall, correct?” the Brit calls, making me stop. “Well, my name’s Grian. I hope to see you again sometime.”

I nod to him and walk away to get to my room, the seed of doubt already beginning to grow in my heart. _'How am I supposed to finish my job when the very first person I meet is downright damn good-hearted?'_

~~——++•++——~~

_Stress's backstory..._

I'm on the run from someone dangerous. _"What for?"_ , you might ask. My reason is quite valid.

Someone has threatened my family and my parents had agreed to send me away to stay with me wonderful aunt and uncle in Falsewell. But what they don't know is I've run away.

I mean, it was bound to happen eventually, right? I'm the daughter of multi-millionaires, so I've been pretty sheltered all my life.

But I must confess a secret. I'm getting tired of being Miss Heiress Who Has Everything and being constantly told that I can't do things on my own. So, when my parents were gone for the day, I packed all my stuff into my car and sent them a group text before I left that basically goes like this.

_  
Mum, Dad,_

_I've made a decision. And, knowing both of you, I figure you won't react well to it. But please, for the sake of the few remaining threads of our relationship, don't get mad at me._

_I'm moving out. I feel as if my life is not being lived to its fullest potential and I want to get out, see the world ... without you. I promise that I will come home if things didn't work out the way I thought, but I need to do this._

_I love you both so much and I'll keep in touch_

_Your daughter,_

_Stress_

So, as expected, things blew up in my face and they told me that I'm not welcome at home anymore. This made me cry, but I'd already made my decision and I couldn't go back on it.

I drove to the other end of Sweetberry and pull over on the side of the road, resting my forehead against the steering wheel. After going through my breathing exercises I was told to do when I worry too much, I continue on.

I had to keep moving forward, as I no longer had a home to go back to, at least for the time being.

And so, my new life living on my own began.

~~——++•++——~~

_Stress’s POV..._

I park at a rest stop on the way to the city of Hermitland to get a bite to eat and to take a short break from driving for a few hours. I walk around and feel my phone go off in my back pocket of my shorts. 'It's probably another nasty text from Mum and Dad,' I think, going against my better judgement and pulling my phone out to look at the notification.

To my surprise, it's actually Cleo who's texted me. She's been my best friend since middle school and I'm so happy to have a friend like her.

_C: Hey, Stress. How's my girl doing?_

I chuckle at this because, for as long as I've known her, Cleo has put the physical and mental health of others before her own.

_Me: I’m doing okay. Got some pretty nasty texts from my parents._

I sigh, sitting down on a bench across from my car, as I wait for her reply.

My phone alerts me and I look at Cleo’s response.

_C: Oh. How’d that roll over with them?_

I type a quick response.

_Me: About what I expected. They’re livid because I moved out._

I set my phone down on my knee and run my fingers through my hair. My phone buzzes, signaling her reply.

_C: Ouch. Yep, sounds about right for them. How are you doing dealing with it?_

I smile and answer her question.

_Me: About as much as you’d expect me to._

I run a hand down my face.

_C: Ah, sounds rough. Where you at right now?_

_Me: I’m at a rest stop nearly halfway to Falsewell right now._

_C: You need me to come give you a hug?_

I chuckle softly, smiling at Cleo’s selflessness.

_Me: Not right now. I’m hanging in there, but I’ll let you know if I need your emotional support._

_C: Alright. Well, be safe on the road. Love you!_

I smile.

_Me: Love you too._

I walk back to my car and get in, heading back out to the highway.

I make it to Falsewell around 5 pm and decide to stay the night at a hotel. By the time I get back to driving, it’s going to be almost dark and, honestly, I don’t like driving in the dark.

I pull up in front of False’s Bed & Breakfast, which I had previously made a one-night reservation at, and turn the engine off. I grab the important things and get out, walking up the stairs in to the door. I’m met by a jingling from a little bell hanging just above the door.

A pretty blonde looks up from her phone and gives me a big smile. “Hello. Welcome to False’s Bed & Breakfast,” she greets.

I set my things on the floor next to me and I give her a small smile in return. “I made a reservation for one night here,” I say, getting straight to the point.

The girl nods. “Can you give me your name so I can find where I wrote you down?”

“Yes. It’s Stress Monsterin.”

The girl tenses up and looks up at me, her eyes wide. “You’re from the richest family in Sweetberry?”

I shake my head. “Not anymore,” I politely correct her, not wanting to explain the situation with my parents to a total stranger.

Thankfully, she doesn’t pry. “I get it,” she says, surprising me. “Probably goes like this: You want to be your own person, but your parents won’t let you and you’re forced to live under their thumb. Then, when you finally get the chance to move out to live on your own, things don’t go as planned and basically blow up in your face. That sound about right?”

I blink, astounded. “H-How did you know that?” I ask, mentally slapping myself at how stupid that sentence sounded as it exited my mouth.

The girl smirks. “Well, I have family issues too,” she replies, taking my hand in hers and squeezing it reassuringly. “I’m False, if I didn’t tell you before.”

I smile, nodding. “Nice to meet you, False.”

False sighs, rubbing the back of her neck nervously. “Hey, I was just wondering ... what exactly happened with your parents?" she asks, hesitant.

I sigh, wishing that I didn't have to answer that question.

False backtracks immediately, putting her hands up. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked that of you because that's personal and I get that..."

I pinch my fingers on the bridge of my nose and shake my head. "False, it's okay," I interrupt, silencing her rant. "Right now, I need someone to confide in and my only friend that I usually talk to about stuff like this isn't here right now. I consider you a friend now, so I'm comfortable talking to you about it."

This astounds her into silent surprise and she walks around the desk to give me a hug. "You really trust me, even though we've barely known each other 20 minutes?"

I nod against her shoulder. "Where I come from, we value friendships," I tell her, letting go.

False walks with me to show me my room and we stop outside the door. "Stress, are you sure about me being your friend?" she asks.

I nod. "I have this sixth sense about people," I reply, putting my hand on her shoulder. "At first glance, I could tell that you're a good, honest-hearted person. And I trust me instincts, since that's what got me here in the first place."

After showing me the room, False starts to head down the hall to give me some time to settle in. But I hear footsteps returning and then a knock on the open door.

"Hey, I'm going to close up for the night in a few minutes," False says from the door. "I'm going to meet up with some friends of mine in Hermitland for a bite to eat. You wanna tag along?"

I'm about to decline, but I remember Cleo telling me that it does no good to be in isolation. I look at her and nod. "Sure, I'll be down in a minute."

False smiles. "Okay, I'll meet you downstairs." I hear her leave, her retreating footsteps growing quieter.

I smile and move from sitting cross-legged to get my Converse shoes on. As I reach over to grab my phone and purse, I hear voices from downstairs and then laughter. Heading down the hall, I reach the top of the stairs. But only two steps down, I trip on my own feet and go flying down the stairs.

I expect to unceremoniously land face first on the wood floor, but the floor never connects with my face. I slowly crack my eyes open and the first thing I see is a robotic blue eye.

I gasp and squirm in my rescuer's arms, but the stranger just tightens their grip around my waist.

"Woah, Stress," I hear False say, her voice laced with concern. “Iskall caught you before you hurt yourself.”

I’m set back on my feet and my savior that I now identify as Iskall backs up. He seems like an interesting guy, but what intrigues me the most about him is his robotic blue eye that contrasts his green one.

“Th-Thanks,” I stutter, rubbing my arm awkwardly, a bad habit that I can’t get rid of.

Iskall nods and smiles softly. “You’re welcome. Stress, was it?”

I nod.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Iskall.”

I knew that things would never be the same after this first encounter with each other.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


	2. Meeting Some of the Other Hermits

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stress makes some new friends.

_Iskall’s POV..._

I know it sounds kind of weird, but I didn’t know what else to do.

_‘What are you talking about, Iskall?’_ You’re probably wondering. Well, let me explain.

I knew False when we were in high school together and she lived in my neighborhood in Hermitville up until junior year, when she and her dad moved to Hermitland for a new start.

I only saw her once in passing between then and today.

I had been in the area and I decided to stop by and pay a visit. We both got caught up on what we had missed and, after talking, I learned that she’d met a nice guy named Steffen, who their friends call “Doc”, in her first year of college and they'd become fast friends within a few days.

As far as I'm aware, they're inseparable, similar to the way I was with a friend-turned-colleague who goes by the name Xisuma Void. He and I have known each other since we were about 9 or 10 and we'd grown close enough to each other that I started calling him "X".

Unfortunately, I have a hard time holding onto the friends I have and, so, we had a "falling-out" with each other. I'd been asked to join the Hitman division of the Hunter's Guild and I accepted without any reservations. Later on, I told X and he completely disagreed with my decision, telling me that I was very kindhearted and, as my best friend at the time, said that he wouldn't support my decision.

One thing led to another – consisting of an angry discussion with hurtful words said to each other – and we're no longer close friends (we were so close that we viewed each other as brothers), but we still kept in contact with each other.

I sincerely have no idea what Xisuma is up to these days and, honestly, I could care less because he's his own person and I'm my own. I'm better off on my own anyway. Really, who needs friends?

~~——++•++——~~

_Stress's POV..._

My first thought was, _'OH. MY. GOSH. What do I do?'_

And really, how else was I supposed to react? Not only am I clumsy by nature, but that combined with me going downstairs is a terrible combination.

But I was still silent, my mind running in circles trying to comprehend what had happened.

“Stress, you okay?” I’m pulled back to reality by False, who’s resorted to shaking me gently.

I nod. “Yeah, I’m fine,” I reply, pinching the bridge of my nose.

False releases her tight grip of my shoulders, but she still keeps a hand on my shoulder. “You sure you’re fine?”

I nod, sitting on a chair. “I got lost in my thoughts, I guess.”

False smiles and crosses her arms, lifting a brow. “Uh-huh. Right,” she says, the smile turning into a smirk.

I decide to change the subject. “So, how do you two know each other?” I ask, genuinely curious.

False and Iskall look at each other. “Well, that’s actually a pretty cool story,” False replies.

“We’ve known each other since freshman year,” Iskall says, sitting down in another chair.

“But because my dad got a job offer in Hermitland, I unfortunately had to move when I was a junior,” False adds, a little sad.

I listen quietly, opting to remain silent, but my mind is racing with so many questions.

Iskall grabs False’s hand and squeezes gently. “You really didn’t have much choice in it,” he assures. “Remember what your dad said he’d do to you if you chose to stay?”

False nods. “Yeah, please don’t remind me,” she scolds gently. “I try to not remember those terrible memories.”

Iskall nods quickly with his hands held up in defense. “Right, sorry,” he apologizes. “Forgot that that’s a touchy subject for you.”

False chuckles and shakes her head. “It’s fine, Iskall. Just wanted to remind you since it’s been a while since we last saw each other.”

Iskall chuckles and gets up. “I’ll meet you there,” he says, walking out the door.

I look over at False. “What was that about?” I ask, confused.

She shakes her head. “I’ll tell you another time.” She walks out the door to get in her car.

I’ve had a lot of practice learning to read people’s emotions and I could tell she wasn’t in the mood to talk, so I’ve let it be for now.

I go outside and join False in her car and we head out.

~~——++•++——~~

_Third Person POV..._

Stress didn’t know that a popular restaurant to go to in Hermitland is El Torito, a popular Mexican restaurant.

False pulls into the parking lot and turns the engine off. “You ready to go?” she asks, looking at Stress.

Stress nods and they get out of the car together. “I can’t wait,” she says, voice laced with anxiety.

False notices this and puts a hand on her friend’s shoulder. “Hey, it’s going to be alright,” she reassures the short-haired girl. “These people are my friends and I know that they won’t judge you for who you are.”

Stress nods, a smile creeping onto her face. “Thanks, False,” she says, following her friend. She notices that Iskall’s already here, since his motorcycle is parked next to False’s Jeep.

False walks in with Stress trailing behind. “Hi, I’m here meeting a large group,” she tells the girl at the front desk.

The girl nods. “What is the name of the person who made the reservation?” she asks.

False smiles. “Steffen Mössner.”

The girl nods. “Ah, yes. Follow me, please.”

I look at False and see that she’s got a big smile on her face. “Is that Doc’s real name?” I ask.

False nods. “Please call him ‘Doc’ though. I’m the only one who can call him by his given name, and he barely tolerates that.”

Stress nods. “Got it,” she agrees.

The girls get in sight of the table where at least a half a dozen people are sitting. False has Stress hang back while she works up to introducing the short-haired girl to her friends.

The way False acts around her friends makes Stress miss the days when she would hang out with Cleo regularly, but the homesick feeling doesn’t last long because False is waving Stress over.

“My friends, this is Stress Monsterin.” False talks so easily and makes Stress wonder how long she’s been part of this group. “She’s new to the area, so please be supportive.”

Those in the group each say hello and Stress sees Iskall at the other end of the table from her, obviously zoning out.

A tall guy with a robotic red eye and a long sleeve over his right arm gets up and reaches out to shake Stress’s hand. “It’s nice to meet you, Stress,” he says with a smirk, a strong accent present.

False, obviously well-known with this guy, slaps him on his arm. “Doc, be nice,” she scolds, a scowl on her face.

The guy — Doc — raises his hands in defense. “Alright, Falsey,” he says, sitting down once again.

False pulls Stress over to an empty space at the table. “Sit down, Stress,” she says gently. “You’ve had a long day.

Stress obliges and sits down next to a guy with a bunch of scars across his face.

False sits down next to Stress and introduces her everyone else after they order their drinks.

Stress learn that the guy sitting next to her is Ryan Goodtimes, but likes to go by Scar. The guy with the helmet is Xisuma Void, but everyone calls him X, the one in the lab coat with the bushy beard is Cubfan “Cub” Convex, the tall mustached man in the suit is Mumbo, the short blonde man is Charles “Grian” Watcher, the blonde wearing red is Tango, and the guy with a yellow creeper face on his black t-shirt is Impulse.

Scar clears his throat. “So, since Stress is new here, I think that we should tell her our favorite thing about where we all used to live,” he suggests.

The group erupts in a chorus of agreements.

“I’ll go first,” Scar says. “And then we’ll go around the table.”

The others nod, most of them already familiar with this.

Scar sighs. “I lived in the United States when I was a kid and my favorite thing about it was the times when I would go to the beach with my parents and my older brother. I really enjoyed just sitting at the edge of the water and taking in the sights and smells. Trips to the beach were really the only time where we could let go of our worries for a while and those times are probably my favorite part of my childhood.”

The next person — Impulse — begins talking. “I don’t really have much to say about where I used to live because I’ve lived in Hermitland my whole life.”

Tango elbows Impulse in his side. “Well, you met me when we were kids,” he says quietly. “Talk about that.”

Impulse chuckles. “Right, thanks for reminding me, Tango,” he says, leaning back in his chair. “Tango came to live with me and my parents as a foster kid.”

False giggles. “Care to elaborate on that, Impulse?”

Impulse goes to speak, but Tango beats him to it. “Yeah, um ... I lost my biological parents when I was three in a terrible car accident. I was put into the foster system and was bouncing around, going from one family to the next. I didn’t stay with a family for long because they disapproved of my ... reckless behavior. Anyways, I ended up going to live with Impulse and his parents and they instantly took a liking to me. Six months later, I’m officially part of the family.”

Impulse chuckles and wraps an arm around Tango’s shoulders. “Yeah, we’re as close as brothers can get,” he adds, ruffling Tango’s hair like an older brother would. “It don’t matter that he’s not my biological brother. We get into all sorts of trouble and mischief.” The two laugh and Impulse lets his brother go.

Tango lightly pats Impulse on the back and looks at Cub. “Alright, your turn, Cubby.”

Cub nods. “I’ve grown up in the area. Moved around a lot, but never more than the next town over. I had moved to Sweetberry when I was about 12 or 13 and that was when I met Scar. Poor guy couldn’t walk around without tripping over something. He ended up tripping on his own feet and I happened to be close by. I helped him up and we’ve been best friends ever since.”

Stress smiles. “So far, I’ve heard about how best friends met each other, favorite things about their childhood, and not having a permanent place to call home for more than 6 months.”

False nods. “Yeah, everyone here has something that they’re proud of. Take Tango and Impulse. They didn’t even know each other until Tango became part of Impulse’s family. Now they’re inseparable.”

Stress nods, smiling.

False looks at Iskall. “Iskall, it’s your turn,” she says.

Iskall looks up from whatever it is he’s doing. “Oh ... right,” he stammers, making brief eye contact with Stress before breaking it. “Uh, where do I even start? Oh, I’ve lived in Hermitville since I was 7, but, unfortunately, I don’t remember much of what the town I was born in is like.”

“Alright, X, your turn.”

Xisuma chuckles and takes a deep breath. “Well, as most of you know, I’ve got a twin brother that is simply known as EX. Some shenanigans went down a few years ago and now we’ve never spoken to each other since. He tries to call, but I always turn my phone off at the times he tries to.”

Doc smirks at False and shakes his head at her nudge. “I guess it’s my turn,” he relents. “I was just 8 years old when I moved with my parents and younger sister from a little backwater town in Germany because of the rising crime. But here, it’s the same. I had an unfortunate accident when I was 17 and had to have my left eye and right arm replaced with high-tech cybernetics. This brings with it the side effect of not being in water ever again. But I’ve long since gotten over the lack of water, as it doesn’t bother me anymore.”

Grian goes next and then Mumbo. Stress learns that Grian used to live in another town far away called Evo, but was banished from the town for reasons unknown and moved to Hermitland. Mumbo, Stress learned, has lived between Falsewell and Hermitland most of his life, but didn’t really start to find his own path until he got a job working with a big redstone company when he was 16.

~~——++•++——~~

_Stress’s POV..._

I just sit quietly, watching the group of people conversing with each other.

I observe how Mumbo, X, and Doc interact with each other. Three very different people connected by their various understanding of redstone.

Tango, Impulse, and Grian act very similar to each other: they’re all mischievous and love to cause mayhem.

Cub and Scar obviously have their own unique things that they’re familiar with.

Me and False get along well together and I think that False and Cleo would be good friends.

Iskall, it seems, doesn’t have anyone to be friends with. By the looks of it, it seems like he hasn’t had a friend in a long time.

_‘I wonder how he’ll take it if I ask him if he wants to be friends with me,’_ I think, watching him closely. I decided that I'd keep an eye on him for the next couple days to gauge him better.

What I didn't know was the ride-of-a-lifetime that meeting Iskall and the others would take me on.

~~——++•++——~~


	3. Reluctance

_Iskall’s POV..._

I’ve been rather bored during the group meet at El Torito. Why, I have absolutely no idea.

To tell you the truth, these past few days have just gone by in a blur, filled with confusion, anxiety, and fear.

Confusion about what I’m doing and how it’s affecting me.

Anxiety because of how I’m inadvertently affecting the families of those targeted.

Fear of what might happen to me if I keep going down this path.

All of these things were distracting me from the conversation and pulling me away from everyone else.

Until _she_ came on my mind, pulling me from my wayward thoughts.

Stress.

The only person in the whole group that gives me that sense of peace that I’ve never had before.

I hadn’t been paying attention to hear if she’d shared anything about her past, but I wouldn’t put it past her to share that quite so soon. From the little bit I was told by False, Stress doesn’t seem ready to share her past with others just yet.

I feel rather bad for Stress. It must be hard for her, being by herself with no family to go back to.

Just observing her, I can tell that, despite what she’s gone through, Stress is as equally a fighter as I am and has the determination and resolve to find her own wings in the world.

If it’d been a completely different scenario that we’d met in, I’d be having a completely different viewpoint on her right now.

Now that I know her a little bit, I can see that she’s really a kind, caring, sweet person.

But ... There’s still so much to learn about Stress.

I shake my head, mentally slapping myself, at the realization of what I’m actually thinking. _‘Get a hold of yourself, Iskall,’_ I scold myself, pinching the bridge of my nose and squeezing my eyes shut.

“Iskall!”

~~——++•++——~~

_Third Person POV..._

“Iskall!”

Iskall opens his eyes to find everyone watching him, clearly worried.

“Are you alright?” X asks, watching him with worry.

Iskall nods. “I guess I just got lost in my thoughts,” he replies, putting on a smile.

Doc and False look at each other, clearly concerned. But, deciding not to show it, Doc gestures slightly to the side with his head and False nods in response.

“I think that Stress and I should get back now,” False says, getting to her feet. She turns to Doc. “I’ll call you tomorrow, okay?” she says quietly to him and ruffles his hair affectionately.

Doc chuckles and gets to his feet. “Don’t you even _think_ about leaving without giving me a hug first,” he jokes, pulling his best friend into a hug. They let each other go and Doc tucks some loose hair behind False’s ear, planting a light kiss on her forehead.

Stress stands up and is immediately surprised by Scar, who’s hugged her from behind.

~~——++•++——~~

_Stress’s POV..._

I had looked over for a fraction of a second to see if Iskall wanted to talk, but then I’m nearly knocked over.

I look over my shoulder and see that Scar has given me a huge bear hug from behind.

But, just as suddenly as he hugged me, he lets go.

“Sorry, I’ve been known to be a big hugger,” Scar admits, holding his hands behind his back. “I just wanted to say before you left that we’re lucky to have a friend like you.”

“Scar’s right,” Cub agrees, having been quiet while standing next to his scarred friend. “I can assure you that, if you ever need someone there for you, you can always count on us.”

I sniff, tears in my eyes, and give the boys a smile. “You know, this is really nice of you,” I say. “My only other friend is back home, so ... thank you.”

The two smile and we share a group hug.

After Scar and Cub say their goodbyes, I’m greeted by Mumbo, who starts rambling about a redstone contraption that he built recently. Honestly, I don’t understand anything that he’s talking about, but I don’t have the heart to tell him that I’m lost.

Out of the corner of my eye, I see Iskall grabbing his things to leave after paying for his meal, but only stops to say bye to False.

Seeing my chance, I excuse myself from my conversation with Mumbo, promising to continue the conversation after I return, and quietly follow after Iskall.

_‘Let’s hope he’s willing to talk,’_ I think.

~~——++•++——~~

_Iskall’s POV..._

I’d had it. I was just done with this damn group meet. I needed to go.

_‘This was a waste of time, anyway,’_ I think, gathering my pack and slinging it over my shoulder. I bid goodbye to the others before going to say bye to False.

I give her a gentle hug and begin to leave, but then I realize that I forgot to pay for my meal.

After paying, I wave bye to False and slowly walk towards the exit.

I’m nearly to the first set of double doors and I go to push the door open, but then I hear a voice calling my name.

I stop and half turn to look over my shoulder, complaining silently about who’s keeping me from leaving now. To my surprise, it’s none other than Stress who decided to chase after me.

_‘Great. What does she want?’_ I think, trying to keep a straight face on despite being rather annoyed.

“Iskall,” Stress says after she stops, slightly out of breath. “I need to ask you something.”

~~——++•++——~~

_Stress’s POV..._

I walked away from the group as I quietly follow after Iskall.

_‘I need to ask him,’_ I think as I weave between tables. _‘I need to know if he wants to be my friend.’_

The edge of my shoe catches on the leg of a chair and I nearly fall on my face, but I catch myself with my hands. “Sorry,” I apologize to the person after getting back to my feet.

_‘I don’t think I can reach him in time,’_ I think, panicking as I see Iskall reach for the door handle.

“Iskall.” I manage to blurt his name out a little loudly, fearing that he didn’t hear me. But it seems to have worked, though, because he turns around and I can see his green eye flicker with confusion.

“I need to ask you something,” I tell him, still trying to catch my breath after tripping because of my clumsiness.

“Okay,” Iskall replies, letting go of the door. “You have my full attention now.”

I take a deep breath, now having caught my breath. “I’d noticed during the group meet that you seemed a little sad,” I start, pausing when I’m interrupted by Iskall.

“I wasn’t sad,” he denies, frowning. “I was just ... deep in thought.”

I give him a look that says _‘Yeah, right. I know you’re lying.’_ But I’ll let it slide for now. “I figured that, since you looked sad, you could use having a friend around.”

Iskall watches me, completely clueless about what I’m getting at. “I apologize. I’m ... afraid that I don’t understand,” he admits.

I sigh, trying my best to keep a straight face. “Okay, what I’m trying to say is ...” _‘Just get to the point, idiot.’_ “it would be nice if we could be friends,” I say, wanting to shrink or turn invisible or something so I can just escape the embarrassment.

“Yeah, I’d like that,” Iskall says after several minutes of awkward silence. This both surprises and shocks me, as I’d been expecting to receive a completely different response.

“I would definitely like it if we became friends,” Iskall adds.

I give him a small smile, hoping that we can be really good friends. “Are you sure?” I ask, trying to keep myself calm.

He nods. “I know for sure that it’d make me feel better about myself to have a friend,” he admits. He flashes me a real smile, the first genuine one I’ve seen on his face. “And I’m pretty sure that it’ll make you feel better too.”

I giggle. “Maybe we could exchange our numbers with each other,” I say, pulling my phone out of my pocket. “As friends do.”

Iskall chuckles at my fumble. “Yes, of course,” he agrees, pulling his phone out as well.

I notice that his phone case is custom decorated with different overlapping shades of green in a cool patchwork pattern, but I’ll wait to ask him at another time.

I give Iskall my number and he quickly types a short message. My phone pings, indicating that his message came through and I open my Messages to read it.

**Hey, Stress. This is Iskall. Now we have each other’s numbers.**

I smile, adding Iskall’s number as a contact in my Contacts list. My phone buzzes, letting me know that Iskall has been successfully added as a contact in my list.

“I’ll text you in the next couple days to check on you and see how you’re doing,” Iskall says, his pack once again slung over his shoulder.

I nod and wave to him as he leaves. “Bye!” I call, wishing he could’ve stayed longer.

I turn around and the first thing I see is False standing several feet away, a smirk on her face as she watches me. “What?”

She simply shakes her head. “Nothing,” she replies and just turns around to walk back and get her things.

I just stand there, dazed by what occurred. _‘What have I gotten myself into with these people?’_

~~——++•++——~~

_Third Person POV..._

False and Stress arrive at the B&B around 8:30 at night and they head inside after the blonde turns her Jeep off.

"So, you and Iskall exchanged numbers?" False asks nonchalantly, hanging her keys up on a hook in the kitchen.

Stress nods, giggling. "Yeah, so what?" she retorts in a snarky tone.

False looks at Stress, surprised. “You don’t get it, do you?” she asks, her tone full of shock.

“Uh, what?” Stress asks after turning around, completely worried at this point.

False sighs. “Let’s sit down,” she says simply, the short-haired brunette quietly following her into the dining room. “We have some things to talk about.”

~~——++•++——~~

_Stress’s POV..._

I sit in my seat, completely rocked to my core. “Wait, let me get this straight,” I say, trying to wrap my mind around this. “Iskall was friends with X?”

False nods. “They met in the 5th grade and were best friends for years,” she explains. “But, now, they’re not on speaking terms with each other whatsoever. It’s like they’ve forgotten the days when they were like brothers to each other.”

I lean forward in my seat, anxious to hear more. “What happened?” I ask, curious.

False shakes her head, her face grim. “I don’t know all the details, but, from what I heard, Iskall accepted a job offer that set X on edge. An argument ensued soon and, before any of us realized, the two brothers had gone their separate ways with no speaking terms established anymore.”

“How did you react to the situation?”

False sighs and shakes her head. “It doesn’t matter anymore,” she replies sadly, looking up at Stress. “Listen, I’ve had to learn the hard way that, sometimes, there’s just some things that really aren’t any of my business. I suggest that you don’t talk to either of them about it, especially Iskall.”

I blink, stunned into silence at False’s sudden behavior change. “Seems like a touchy subject for them.”

False nods. “Yeah, I’d recommend that you don’t even ask either of them,” she says. But, if you really want to know, wait until Iskall’s known you for awhile and then ask him.”

I nod. “So, does Iskall have a hard time being around other people?” I ask.

False shakes her head. “It’s not just that,” she explains. “Iskall doesn’t just have a hard time being around people, he also has a hard time learning to trust them. Been like that for a long time now.”

I nod in understanding, but my mind still pokes at me, letting me know there’s one more question to ask. “So, why did Iskall choose to become my friend so quickly?”

False just stares at me. “You do realize what this means, right?” she asks, concerned. When I don’t give her an answer, she continues. “Iskall must think of you really highly to be willing to give you his number this quickly. The only other people he truly trusts enough to give his number to is me and Rendog Diggity.”

I cock my head, confused. “Who’s...”

False shakes her head. “Don’t worry about that right now,” she replies. “You’ll meet Ren soon enough.”

I smile, but remain quiet to let False continue.

“Like I said before, Iskall has a very hard time making friends, which is why his only friends are me, Ren, and now you.”

I nod slowly. “I think that I’m ... starting to understand,” I say, truly beginning to see what False is saying. “But, what made Iskall decide to be my friend?”

False shrugs. “Beats me. You’ll have to ask him yourself. But he must really value you as a friend for you two to exchange numbers this quick,” she replies, getting up. “It took a month for Iskall and I to exchange numbers, and even longer for the two boys.”

I remain in my seat as False walks out of the room, thinking about what we’d talked about. _‘What does this mean?’_ I ask myself.

I had absolutely no clue about what would happen in the next days, weeks, and months to come.

~~——++•++——~~


End file.
